Griggs Resevoir Boathouse (17 images)

The Griggs Reservoir Boathouse was commissioned to serve the OSU crew team, the Greater Columbus Rowing Association, Columbus Recreation and Parks, and neighborhood/community groups. The design takes advantage of the natural topography of the site and allows users to enter the different levels of the building at grade depending on the space they are accessing. SCA's design for the building makes use of natural materials to blend the...more »

Griggs Reservoir Boathouse
Columbus, Ohio

The Griggs Reservoir Boathouse was commissioned to serve the OSU crew team, the Greater Columbus Rowing Association, Columbus Recreation and Parks, and neighborhood/community groups. The design takes advantage of the natural topography of the site and allows users to enter the different levels of the building at grade depending on the space they are accessing. SCA's design for the building makes use of natural materials to blend the boathouse into its riverfront site and incorporates elements of traditional park architecture found in other areas of the park. Training, storage, special events spaces, offices, and support spaces are all incorporated into this multipurpose building.

The building is set on a challenging site -- the area is part of the reservoir's 100-year floodplain. For this reason, the lower level, designed for boat storage, is designed to accept flood water with no damage to the building or the items inside. The landscaping uses native plants, bioswales, and rain gardens to manage stormwater in an environmentally friendly way. Interior design challenges included programming for circulation and activity separation by the different user groups while still allowing areas of the building to be used by various group for multiple uses.